Cranberry Drizzle

Cranberry Drizzle

Drizzle the cheesecake with this bright and flavorful syrup made so easily with just a few ingredients. You can change up the flavor by using pomegranate or cherry juice, or by combining juices to your liking. The syrup can be made well ahead and used with so many things such as pancakes, waffles, ice cream and more.
Makes about 1/2 cup (125 mL)

Ingredients:
2 cups (250 mL) cranberry juice

1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar

2 tbsp (30 mL) light corn syrup

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Directions:

Combine cranberry juice, sugar and light corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the mixture is thickened and reduced to a generous 1/2 cup (125 mL). The syrup will measure between 240° to 245°F (116° to 118°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Cool completely. The syrup can be prepared a week ahead, covered and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before drizzling on the cake. Garnish each serving with pomegranate seeds.

Spinach, Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Spinach, Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 cup walnut pieces
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

8 oz. baby spinach
2 ripe pears, such as Bartlett, cored and sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour onto a plate to cool. Set aside.


In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper to make a dressing.


Add the spinach, pears, pomegranate seeds and walnuts to the bowl and toss gently to mix and coat well. Divide the salad among 4 plates or bowls and top each with about 1 Tbs. blue cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Baba Gannouj

Baba Gannouj

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
SERVINGS: 6
RECIPE BY: Maureen Abood
Select eggplant that is very firm when squeezed, and fairly narrow, which often means fewer seeds. The bitter baba you may have had now and then is attributable to the cook not removing the seeds from the eggplant before mashing it up. Do that, and you’ll have a much different baba gannouj on your plate than you would otherwise. Use at least two eggplants, since removing the seeds reduces the amount of eggplant you have left to work with. Don’t skip the pomegranate seeds if at all possible; they add beautiful color to the dip and a delicious tart flavor too.Ingredients:

2 firm globe eggplant
3 tablespoons tahini (well-stirred before measuring)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Few grinds of black pepper
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Directions:
Char the eggplant by poking a few holes in them with a knife or skewer (so the skin won’t burst). Cook them on a hot barbecue, a low flame on the gas burner, or under the broiler. If you’re broiling the eggplant, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet a few inches under the broiler. Whatever the heat source, turn the eggplants over halfway through cooking (use tongs) to char them evenly. When the skin is blistered and the eggplant is very soft, remove them from the heat. Under the broiler this takes about 30 minutes.

When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off with your fingers and cut away the stem end. Open the eggplant and pull out the lines of seeds, and discard them.

Chop or mash the eggplant until it forms a dip-like texture. In a bowl, combine the eggplant with the tahini, salt, garlic, lemon juice, and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then spoon the baba gannouj onto a plate. Make some swirls in the eggplant with the back of the spoon, and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, and serve with pita chips, crackers, vegetables.

Tomato And Roasted Lemon Salad

Tomato and Roasted Lemon Salad

Ingredients;

2 medium lemons, halved crosswise, seeds 

   removed and cut in paper thin slices

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar

8 sage leaves, finely shredded

2 2/3 cups baby tomatoes (cherry or grape)

   yellow or red or both, halved *see note 

Scant 1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup mint leaves

seeds of 1 small pomegranate (1/2 cup)

1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add the lemon slices and blanche them for 2 minutes.  Drain well and place the lemon in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the sugar, and the sage.  Gently mix and spread the mixture out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place in the oven and bake for twenty minutes until the lemons have dried out a little.  Remove and set aside to cool.

*

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, allspice, parsley, mint, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate molasses, onion, and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground pepper.  Add the lemon slices, and gently stir and serve.

NOTE  Place ("sandwich") tomatoes between two lids.  I use Cool Whip lids as they have a flat surface with a lip.  Place the bottom lid top side down and the top lid top side up.  Lay the knife horizontal and slice horizontally through the lids.  All tomatoes are sliced.